Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:02:22-1:03:53

Earlier British carrier development before 1914

More prewar work on Hermes-style carriers could improve early-war aviation strikes, but only if experiments produced practical ships, aircraft, and torpedoes.

Aircraft CarriersNaval AviationRoyal NavySeaplane CarriersWilhelmshavenWorld War I
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Question

What if Britain invested more in seaplane and aircraft carriers before World War I?

Short answer

If the work produced practical Hermes-style carriers and aircraft, Britain would begin the war with a more capable strike force that could disrupt German fleet deployment.

Notes

Spending more did not guarantee a mature carrier force. If Britain obtained proper Hermes-style carriers and workable torpedo aircraft before 1914, it could launch a much larger opening-war strike such as an attack on Wilhelmshaven. Early aerial torpedoes might still fail to score hits, but the raid itself would force Germany to take naval air attack seriously. A sufficiently alarming strike might push German units through the Kiel Canal into the Baltic for protection, changing deployment even without sinking a ship.